Brad Pitt’s Daughter Officially Drops His Last Name

Source: XNY/Star Max / Getty

Today in celebrity drama, one of the children adopted by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie has legally dropped Pitt’s last name. 

TMZ reports that 21-year-old Zahara Jolie filed a motion to change her last name with the Los Angeles Superior Court earlier this year. A brief hearing was held on Monday, where a judge granted her request. “There being no objections, the petition for change of name is granted,” the Sept. 28 minute order states. “The Decree is signed and filed. The Petitioner’s name is changed from Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie.”

The name change is more of a formality now, as Zahara has long stopped using her father’s last name. She was announced as Zahara Marley Jolie during her graduation ceremony at Spelman College earlier this year. 

Pitt has been relatively estranged from his adopted children since he and Jolie divorced. 

While no reason has been given for the name changes and the estrangement, the generally accepted theory is that it’s tied to an airplane ride Pitt and Jolie took with their kids in 2016. 

Pitt was investigated by the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services for child abuse after the plane ride, after an anonymous tip was filed alleging he was being physically and verbally abusive toward one of the children. While no criminal charges were filed, Jolie filed for divorce that same year. 

According to Page Six, sources close to Pitt and Jolie have both issued statements regarding the name change. 

“This is the latest installment in what complete and total alienation looks like with an extra topping of trying to deflect attention from their ex’s success,” a source close to Pitt told Page Six exclusively. “Anyone who has actually been a part of this for the last ten years would know that there’s only one side that talks about and has tried to weaponize the kids.”

The “deflect attention from their ex’s success” likely refers to the timing of the name change, which fell after Pitt’s film Heart of the Beast opened this last weekend and ahead of his upcoming film The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, a sequel to Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. I don’t necessarily think this was intentional, as Zahara signaled her intention to change her name earlier this summer. 

“Today’s hearing was required by law and scheduled months ago by the L.A. court system. It’s a new low to have his camp to spin a conspiracy theory, disavow responsibility for his conduct, and attack his own child,” a source close to Jolie said. Keep in mind, his daughter has had the grace not to discuss the details of his behavior in public.”

Zahara is the fourth of Pitt and Jolie’s kids to drop his last name, following Shiloh, Maddox, and Vivienne. As someone who’s gone noncontact with my father for a wide variety of reasons, I completely empathize with their decision. I feel bad for the kiddos because what should be a private matter inevitably becomes public because of their parents’ high-profile status. 

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